Bonjour, My Prey
by MasqueradePug
Summary: Do attend the tale of Alice Blackwood as she accompanies both Benjamin Barker and Sweeney Todd in the depths of an Australian prison- her 17 and his 15 years of hard labor, beatings, and in the end, his escape. Rated T for slight violence.
1. Foolishness

Hi, this is my Sweeney Todd fanfiction. It's the very first story I've actually shared on this website, so please have mercy. I'd just like to say that the first two chapters will just be an introduction- it may be boring, but they both contain some useful information for the plot and the character.

I'll let you get reading now. Please, enjoy the tale of the woman who accompanied both Benjamin Barker and Sweeney Todd in the depths of a living hell. ~~MasqueradePug

* * *

Alice coughed as the dust spiraled into her throat as she inhaled. Her feet were covered in blisters and much, aching and stinging with each step she took. The chains binding her hands were jingling merrily as her dark brown hair flowed in the wind. The gentle wind constantly kissed her pale skin. She didn't know where she was headed.

All she knew was that- well, she was kidnapped by a man who forced her to inhale into a cloth drenched in a unknown substance, and that when she awoke she was chained and blindfolded with her shoes missing and a change of clothes. As far as she could tell it was a baggy long sleeved shirt and cotton pants that had been torn or cut in both knees and were being trampled by her heels as she walked.

As cold as it was, she'd rather wear this than her regular corset and layers of dresses.

Besides going barefoot. Her lack of footwear was due to the sick humor her captors had. She hasn't- and wasn't going to give them a squeak of discomfort- that would only satisfy them of their personal deeds. No, all they were getting from her is her cooperation of walking into the unknown with them. Now, her captors were two heavy weight men judging by occasional snorts, grunts, and footsteps that actually drowned hers in comparison. One was in front of her- he was holding her chains securely and the other behind her who had a small pistol and nudged her every now and then. Their attempted silence was to conceal their identities.

Although she knew this much, it wasn't enough. She let out a silent but bitter sigh of frustration.

Her foot suddenly stepped into something cushioned and.. wet. She identified it as grass. She had let a small content sigh escape her lips. The blisters on her delicate feet stung more as the dew covered all of them in just three steps. Her toes and soles felt relief at something that had seemed so alien after walking barefoot on gravel for who knows how long.

After a few more steps on heaven, a familiar sound echoed her ears. It was faint, very faint. Possibly because the two men's footsteps were still drowning out any sound.

She felt the small, cold pistol nudge her back once more.

"We're almost there." A low and raspy voice had whispered.

_Definitely male._

"Keep goin' an' stay quiet, lass."

Alice just nodded. As they got closer to the source of sound, she then discovered it was the ocean. Her muscles tensed and her lips pursed in displeasure. She couldn't swim. Even with her lightweight body, she couldn't float. She bit her lip just as it quivered. Her foot suddenly landed in very cold but dry sand. The dew from the grass had made it stick, and it made her blisters furiously ache as it was now covered in sand. It caked her feet completely. She winced and her mouth twitched. The sound of the sea was roaring now as the waves crashed into the shore. Her hands were clenched in fists.

"Where are you taking me?" Alice said boldly, not bothering to hide any trace of annoyance. She could imagine the two men exchanging glances at each other- she had been a good, silent pet for a very long time. Defiance wasn't welcome from a woman.

"Far away from 'ere." A smooth and gruff voice said. _Also male._

"Why?"

The one behind her sighed. _"Yeh dead now, lass."_

She frowned. A rush of thoughts came to her head- what would become of her _family_? Her _fiance, Seth_? Are they going to_ kill_ her, and dump her body in the ocean, _never to be found?_ Were they going to let her _drown?_ She gulped, hesitant, afraid of the answer...

"Why are you doing this..?"

One of the men then punched her square in the forehead with enough force causing her to black out, eyes instantly rolling to the back of her head. Blood trickled where her skin split, her knees locked and wobbled, and her whole body fell into the unwelcoming cold sand.

"Why'd yeh do that?" The man behind her exclaimed. "Now we 'ave to carry 'er."

"Not 'we'. Yeh do it. She was a chatty one," he answered simply.

The man, yet shaking his head- did what he was told, and slid his arm under her back and legs, carrying her with ease. The two men walked to the boat waiting on the old dock. There, another man in his fifties with grey, long hair in a tangled mess was waiting. They approached him slowly, his grey eyes studying the two burly men.

They drifted to the young girl in the other's arms.

"What be 'er crime?" He wheezed out. Poor lass. Where they were going, she wouldn't last more than a month.

_"Foolishness."  
_

* * *

Did you like it? Constructive criticism is welcomed. I have yet to brush up on my writing skills. Thank you for reading. (*:


	2. Benjamin the Stranger

Hello again! I've come back with a new chapter. Please enjoy. ^-^ Benjamin Barker appears in this one, but only shortly. I'd greatly appreciate if some would like to review. A simple smiley face would do, really.

I'd really like to thank Leyshla Gisel for reviewing the first chapter. (:

I guess I should be off to let you read in peace. Enjoy!

*Alice is 21 when she is captured. _~Masquerade Pug_

_*I do not own the story of Sweeney Todd, nor do I own the character:_

_Benjamin Barker_

I only own Alice Blackwood and Liam.

* * *

Alice woke up, head throbbing and dizzy. Her body was jammed into a corner of the swaying room. She could barely see- so she sat there for a minute, blinking. Her pupils slowly adjusted and dilated.

She looked around and noticed there were men crowded everywhere. Her heart rate suddenly intensified- she was on a ship.

_A ship full of men._

Although, all of them presented to be sleeping, even breathing with the rise and falls of chests.

The brunette trusted none, her chocolate eyes widening with fear. They may be harmless now, but she would always be defenseless and submissive, even when they slept. She clamped her hand over her mouth, suddenly trying to drown out a sob and kill the scent that had washed over her. Her chains clanked together loudly, and she froze. Alice didn't wake anyone, much to her relief. Their body heat and odor filled the atmosphere, causing a layer of sweat on her body and her gag reflex to awaken. She huddled into the corner like a child, when she heard a sigh to her left.

Her head turned roughly and her eyes met another man. How could she be so careless and not notice the presence right next to her? Things were happening so fast.

Thankfully he was still asleep. He appeared to be in his early thirties or late twenties. Quite older than her, she could tell by his troubled face and a slight wrinkle that touched his face every now and then. He had a head of dirty blonde hair that stopped right at his ear lobes. Bits of dust and grime coated every layer of his hair. She had contemplated on what color his eyes would be. A warm chocolate brown? Green and mischievous?

...Realizing her thoughts were drifting far from where she really was, she scowled under her breath. Her mind strays much to often- a day dreamer, her father would call her. Her mother would scold her, her little brother would tease her, her fiance would grin and laugh at her ridiculous faces she made-

a pang of loneliness and longing struck her heart.

When would she ever see them again?

Her eyes drifted to the wood ceiling, lips pursing in thought. She removed her hand from her mouth subconsciously as tears escaped her eyes. She leaned her head against the wood wall, careful to be gentle. Her silent tears streamed across her cheeks at a more vigorous pace, and she wondered where she was going. For all she knew, she could never see them again. She had a sinking feeling in her gut that she was headed somewhere far, far away from her London.

Her family, her lover, her flowers, and _her dreams_ were all there.

Her dreams could be easily forgotten by everyone. _Everyone but her._

Everything that was Alice Blackwood's resides in that city.

The brunette sniffed thoughtfully. She wasn't going to give up so easily. She had worked so hard to get where she was. To earning respect from her mother, begging her father to accept William's offer to court her, to becoming a developed painter. No, she wasn't going to be taken down that easily. She was still alive, wasn't she? No matter how long it took, she would find a way to come back. Alice made a promise with herself that day. She would return to her normal lifestyle in London. One day, she would return, no matter how far away she was taken, she would find a way.

Being a day dreamer had it's perks - she would always have flickers of hope, possibilities ran through her mind at a constant pace.

Being a naive human she was - she would always cling to the thread that represented her chances.

Her tears had stopped. She would get through this. She would become stronger over the years.

_"Until then."_ She whispered.

_"I'll see London again and reclaim what was mine."_

* * *

_..._

_It had been two years since that promise._

Alice's eyes fluttered open.

Her mouth was dry. She turned her head to the right, burying that side of her face in the pathetic excuse for a pillow.

She had changed in the last two years. For the best- but some would say she was a disgrace to the Blackwood family if they would recognize her. Calling her filthy, degrading names, spitting venom at her.

But of course, no one would recognize or come for her now. She wasn't in London anymore. She was in Australia- in a jail, no less. Her parents would never have suspected Australia. And even if they did come, they wouldn't recognize her because of her appearance. She still had those round, chocolate brown eyes. Her long brunette hair was cut crudely- her bangs constantly covered her eyes and most of her face, trying to conceal her womanly features. Due to the lack of food, she had lost all baby fat in her cheeks. Her skull was defined behind her skin.

As for her body, it was a different story. She barely had any bodice on her, bless her soul. She never minded her appearance, especially her body. She didn't want to get raped by the convicts around her.

It was rare for a woman to come. Like a blue lobster out of red ones. But when they did, it was always the first night they'd get caught. Most would commit suicide with anything they found. If they were lucky. Others would die of beatings or starvation. Alice was always witty, although even she would admit that the fact she was alive now was mostly sheer luck.

She had been raped the first night. After that, she cut her brown locks with a piece of glass she found on the ship, altered her clothes, and changed her name. It was Luke Blackwood now,

the older 'brother' of Alice Blackwood.

She stared at her cells iron bars. She remembered how destroyed she was that night. The man that had the sandy blonde hair- the one sitting left of her found her, limp, bleeding. His name was Liam.. and he had stormy grey blue eyes. He helped her.

Even now he looks after her with a careful eyes. She would give him a smile of thanks every day when they saw each other at work. The man that had raped her was never heard of again. Some say he was thrown overboard. Others say he was a coward and committed suicide.

Only she and him knew the truth.

She owed him. She remembered the small lunch breaks they were given. She and him would always go for potatoes and the...good meat. She remembered just a week ago- she told him about escaping.

* * *

"Liam, I'm serious." Alice said, mouth full of sweet potato.

The blonde looked at her thoughtfully. His stormy eyes met hers, and she tried her best not to look away.

She failed. His eyes were always so intense, and even if he glanced into yours- you felt insecure. Like he had already read your soul many times and didn't care much about it anymore.

"We could do it.. I want to go back."

He sighed.

"You could. I can't. I have to stay."

His reply shocked her. He had to stay? Who would ever want to stay in this.. this hell? Her mind raced to conclusions.

"Wha-"

"You're innocent, Alice." He cut her off. He flashed her a crooked grin, good-naturedly.

He only used her real name whenever they were alone, or he was serious.

"What does that have to do with anything? Why do you want to stay here? It doesn't matter- you're good! You helped me, remember?" She protested. He was the only one she could ever trust. He was good. He was an angel- a polite man- a friend. He looked after her when in truth she was a nuisance. She was fully aware, but he stayed with her all two years. She was so grateful.

"You know very well what I've done to deserve this." He muttered simply, taking the last bite of his potato.

She swallowed.

Who could reply to that.

The bell rung, signaling their return to labor.

* * *

Even if she changed in appearance, that didn't mean she gave up on her promise. And she never intended to until she completed her goal, with or without her friend. It was selfish of her.. but the man was too stubborn to get up and leave with her. She left the conversation in the past, respecting his decision.

He killed his whole family.

He was an alcoholic.

He was guilty, and regretted that day. He once told her that he would give away his soul if that meant changing their fates.

His two sons- baby girl- and wife-

were all brutally stabbed.

She was afraid at first, but he swore never to drink alcohol ever again. He had a heart of gold. Demons were possessing him at that time. She didn't blame or judge him, and life went on.

Alice's eyes shut. She would need the rest. It would be 3 hours until she had to work in the fields again. Her fingers subconsciously rubbed at the sores and calluses that stained her palms.

She was drifting off- on the verge of subconsciousness when footsteps echoed the room. Two men- one blabbering constantly. She sat up in annoyance- her back protesting.

She let a low growl escape her chest. The other convicts were stirring in their cells.

Liam stirred in their cell. "Luke- what's that?" He grumbled.

"I don't know." the brunette said, keeping her voice low.

"A blabbering idiot. He's pleading to be let go." her voice coated will ill-humor.

Liam groaned. The footsteps were getting closer, and she saw the glow of the lantern light already coat the first brick in her line of sight.

Other convicts began pleading to be let go as well- until many punches and yelps were heard.

"_Please- please sir_, I have a wife and a child- I was sent under a_ false_ charge-" the second man explained for about the 100th time. The first man- the one with the lantern ignored him.

_"They're coming this way, aren't they?"_ Liam muttered, annoyed as well. He finally sat up against his straw bed, stretching his toned arms.

"It is as you say." Alice grumbled, waiting for the men to stop at a cell.

They stopped at their cell.

It was the same man who always introduced the new convicts to their cell. This cell had only two inhabitants- Liam and 'Luke'- when each cell were made for three. The man had never stopped at _their_ cell, however.

They shared the same shocked and irritated look.

The man opened the door, keys jingling. The second man stopped complaining, much to everyones delight- it was about 12:50 A. M. , and everyone would appreciate sleep.

"Get in." His cold voice echoed the corridors and cells. Everyone had met this man. No one knew anything about him. Besides that his heart was made of stone and his harsh black eyes could manipulate anyone.

The second man stumbled in and the door crashed closed.

Silence.

He had dark brown hair, a clean shaven face-

and eyes that were so_ sad_.. They were an amazing shade of brown- much more beautiful than hers, and held so much sorrow. They glistened brilliantly with tears that were about to escape.

All Alice could do was sit there and stare. Poor soul. She knew better than to take mercy on him, because he was a convict too. A convict was a convict. Maybe he was guilty.

Liam was the first to speak.

"What's your name?" It was not a friendly nor an inviting tone- it sounded like a command. He was unsure of the stranger as well.

"B-Benjamin. _Benjamin Barker._" He choked out, trying to hold his emotions in. He failed..

He began sobbing, knees hitting the floor.

* * *

I feel so bad. Sorry Ben..

*Alice or.. 'Luke' is 23 now.

_~Masquerade Pug_


End file.
